New grower learning to balance the pH of his water

q3corn · Nov 19, 2015

Hey all! This is my first official grow. I've grown other plants as just general house plants for years, but never got the opportunity until recently to finally start growing some herb!

No real need for further backstory, I guess my query really comes down to balancing the ph of my tap water. I had been watering my seedlings for a few days with regular tap water, which seems to work great, but after finally getting some ph drops, I noticed that it's close to a 7, and my understanding was that I'd want it lower, maybe 6.5. After doing some basic searching I learned that using a small amount of vinegar can do the trick, so I took about a liter of water, and maybe a teaspoon of vinegar (white, specifically), and put them together, thinking that would kick it down a bit too much. Wow, the drops went daaark red! past 4! no big deal, vinegar goes a long way and that was strong. I rinsed everything out, and decided to add as *little* vinegar as I could, so I got a q-tip moist with vinegar, and stirred that into a liter of water. pH still was showing somewhere closer to 6! I guess what i'm learning here is that this is a method that's best for large volumes of water, not such a small amount like this.

Anyway, does anyone have any tips on how I can better balance my tap water?

chronosync · Nov 19, 2015

at least your tap is close to neutral. thats gonna help you.

MtnSkunk · Nov 20, 2015

You're fine unless your plants are old enough to start giving nutes. I'd mix up a batch of nutes and check the PH, it might be close to where you want it. If not, add in a drop, mix it up and wait a bit then recheck the PH.

sourpuss · Nov 20, 2015

You want to put away the v8negar and get yourself some proper ph up and ph down asap. How r u feeding the plants?

q3corn · Nov 20, 2015

Didn't do anything beyond one watering with this whisper of vinegar. they're seedlings, I won't be feeding them for quite some time. one popped 4 days ago, and the other two just yesterday.

Jaymer · Nov 20, 2015

U'd want to check your runoff readings also and balance according to the soils natural ph is advice I can give ya, unless your already doing that. gl

Granger2 · Nov 20, 2015

In the canning section of the groc store they'll have Citric acid. It's diluted, suitable for minor adjustments to pH. Or you can buy pure Citric Acid in the form of Earth Juice Down. Good luck. -granger

HerBnGorE(illa) · Nov 20, 2015

If u are going to be switching to adding nutrients soon, many nutrients lower the ph.

Lester Beans · Nov 20, 2015

Vinegar is fine just mix up a gallon at a time. The one liter is to small to adjust easily. Take a one gallon jug of tap water and about five drops of vinegar.

It is likely that once you get to mixing nutrients you will not have to adjust you pH.

Also make sure you leave your tap water out overnight to evaporate whatever chlorine out you can.

Best of luck with your grow!

q3corn · Nov 21, 2015

Thanks for the feedback guys! I have been leaving the tap water out to warm it up, but my town doesn't chlorinate it's water, so there's no risk there. Plants are looking fine, I had some new seeds soaking in water that just popped, so I think whatever my concerns are about my tap water are inconsequential.

Extacie · Nov 24, 2015

I just balance ph of nutrient solution and find that to be best. 6.4-6.8 is best in soil

GuerrillaRed · Nov 26, 2015

q3corn said:
Hey all! This is my first official grow. I've grown other plants as just general house plants for years, but never got the opportunity until recently to finally start growing some herb!

No real need for further backstory, I guess my query really comes down to balancing the ph of my tap water. I had been watering my seedlings for a few days with regular tap water, which seems to work great, but after finally getting some ph drops, I noticed that it's close to a 7, and my understanding was that I'd want it lower, maybe 6.5. After doing some basic searching I learned that using a small amount of vinegar can do the trick, so I took about a liter of water, and maybe a teaspoon of vinegar (white, specifically), and put them together, thinking that would kick it down a bit too much. Wow, the drops went daaark red! past 4! no big deal, vinegar goes a long way and that was strong. I rinsed everything out, and decided to add as *little* vinegar as I could, so I got a q-tip moist with vinegar, and stirred that into a liter of water. pH still was showing somewhere closer to 6! I guess what i'm learning here is that this is a method that's best for large volumes of water, not such a small amount like this.

Anyway, does anyone have any tips on how I can better balance my tap water?

NEVER USE VINEGAR!!!!!! Vinegar is a natural herbicide and will murder your plants. I was doing the same thing using vinegar as a pH DOWN awhile back and sure enough I wound up murdering three plants.

You should try putting your water through a Brita filter. That'll bring down the pH while cleaning out your tap water a tad.

gardener60 · Nov 27, 2015

I am just a newbie so would it be safe to say to check the ph after you put in the nutrients.

Granger2 · Nov 28, 2015

10-20% Vinegar can be used for a top kill on many things, and kills because it is so harshly acidic. It kills with its low pH., not because it is herbicidal like 2-4,D or glyphosate. Adding a little to your feed is whole different ball game than spraying 20% vinegar undiluted on the foliage. I don't know what murdered your plants, but I highly doubt it was vinegar enough to drop the pH to a reasonable level.

Carbon filters will have minimal pH lowering effects on tap water. Maybe 1 or 2 tenths. I'd suggest Citric Acid for lowering pH. You can get it at a brewing store, or as Earth Juice pH Down. Good luck. -granger

LostTribe · Nov 28, 2015

Trash the vinegar get some ph down and up too.

BOMBAYCAT · Nov 29, 2015

Hey gardener 60: Most nutes tend to drive the pH down (toward more acidic) The traditional way is to mix the nutes with the water, check pH, and balance as needed. The water here is very bad so I use pH up and pH down to balance, but just a drop will change the pH a lot.

Floridian · Nov 29, 2015

All you need to know is

All you need to know is

General hydroponics Ph test kit is all you need to use for beautiful plants in soil.It consists of PH up,down and indicator.You'll learn to love that bright light lime green color which indicates about 6.4 PH.Its really all you need forget anything else,seriously.

chronosync · Nov 30, 2015

gotta get some kind of PH kit, its driving me crazy not knowing. why is it that PH is so often neglected? most people (including me) seem to think they ca nget by without it. we can and we do, but id rather keep my bets on cards and horses.

Floridian · Nov 30, 2015

You're not growing a swimming pool are you lol?General hydroponics is for horticultural use only.

Jonny Lan · Nov 30, 2015

What a lot of folks are saying here about nutrients adjusting the ph for you is true.
I use Bio-Canna and its ph perfect. NEVER had problems with it past 2 years I've been using.

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